Confirmation of Pinnatoxins and Spirolides in Shellfish and Passive Samplers from Catalonia (Spain) by Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Triple Quadrupole and High-Resolution Hybrid Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Cyclic imines are lipophilic marine toxins that bioaccumulate in seafood. Their structure comprises a cyclic-imino moiety, responsible for acute neurotoxicity in mice. Cyclic imines have not been linked yet to human poisonings and are not regulated in Europe, although the European Food Safety Authority requires more data to perform a conclusive risk assessment for consumers. This work presents the first detection of pinnatoxin G (PnTX-G) in Spain and 13-desmethyl spirolide C (SPX-1) in shellfish from Catalonia (Spain, NW Mediterranean Sea). Cyclic imines were found at low concentrations (2 to 60 µg/kg) in 13 samples of mussels and oysters (22 samples analyzed). Pinnatoxin G has been also detected in 17 seawater samples (out of 34) using solid phase adsorption toxin tracking devices (0.3 to 0.9 µg/kg-resin). Pinnatoxin G and SPX-1 were confirmed with both low and high resolution (<2 ppm) mass spectrometry by comparison of the response with that from reference standards. For other analogs without reference standards, we applied a strategy combining low resolution MS with a triple quadrupole mass analyzer for a fast and reliable screening, and high resolution MS LTQ Orbitrap^® for unambiguous confirmation. The advantages and limitations of using high resolution MS without reference standards were discussed.     

Policy and transparency gaps for oceanic shark and rays in high seas tuna fisheries

The incidental capture by marine fisheries as bycatch poses a global threat to pelagic sharks and rays. In large, industrialized fisheries that often operate in areas beyond national jurisdiction, at least 22 threatened species of pelagic elasmobranchs are caught as bycatch, representing the majority of megafauna bycatch in tuna fisheries. Here, we investigate (1) the efficacy of the current policies of the five tuna-related Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (tRFMOs) in mitigating elasmobranch bycatch, (2) data needed to better assess the amount and impact of elasmobranch bycatch and (3) the research necessary for the adoption of new policies. We found that tRFMOs have adopted 34 active policies that address pelagic elasmobranch bycatch. However, most policies (~76%, n = 26) are unlikely to avoid or minimize elasmobranch bycatch. Instead, most policies focus on mitigating post-capture mortality via remediation and requiring or encouraging research and data collection. Despite the emphasis on research mandates, we find that the existence of research was not related to policy adoption, suggesting that lack of research has not historically prohibited policymaking. Overall, we suggest that current research and data transparency, though perhaps not necessary for policy adoption, are not sufficient to adequately evaluate the population-level impacts of bycatch on many elasmobranch species in tRFMO-managed fisheries. Given these results, we recommend a precautionary approach that involves reforms in tRFMO voting processes to facilitate the adoption of binding requirements for elasmobranch catch limits, bycatch avoidance, pre- and post-capture handling and release modifications and protection of areas important to threatened pelagic elasmobranchs.     

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of oxytetracycline in sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, at two water temperatures

A pharmacokinetic study of oxytetracycline (OTC) following an intravascular administration (40 mg/kg) was carried out in sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (110 g), at 13.5 and 22 °C water temperature. Blood, muscle and liver samples were taken at 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 h post-injection. The plasma data were conformed to a two-compartment model. The kinetic profile of the drug was found to be temperature dependent. The absorption half-life (t_1/2) of OTC was 0.98 and 0.192 h at 13.5 and 22 °C, respectively, whereas the elimination half-time (t_1/2β) of the drug was 69 h at 13.5 °C and 9.65 h at 22 °C. The apparent volume of distribution of the drug at steady state [V_d(ss)] was 5.62 l/kg at 13.5 °C and 2.59 l/kg at 22 °C. The mean residence time (MRT) of OTC was found to be 37.7 h at 22 °C and 71 h at 13.5 °C. The total clearance of the drug (CL_T) was calculated to be 73.5 and 68.7 ml/kg/h at 13.5 and 22 °C, respectively.

Liver levels indicated higher OTC values than respective muscle levels at all time points and for both temperatures. The elimination of OTC from tissues tested was faster at the high temperature, whereas the drug was eliminated faster from liver compared to muscle when comparisons are made at the same temperature.     

Epicormics in 13-year-old Quercus petraea: small effect of provenance and large influence of branches and growth unit limits

? The provenance effect on epicormics is poorly documented and restricted to epicormic shoots. Our objective was to characterize the relationship between epicormics and provenance on 13-year-old Quercus petraea trees, taking into account their growth traits.

? On the growth units (GU) studied, epicormics were essentially isolated buds (95%) and they were mainly located at branch bases, secondarily on GU limits and marginally on lateral position. Provenance effect was very small on the number of epicormics and slightly larger on the number of branches and GU limits. On the contrary, the growth situation-independently from provenance-proved to have a larger effect on the 2 latter growth traits.

? Altogether, these results clearly show the predominant effect of morphological traits and thus of ontogeny. This opens important research perspectives: how growth conditions and genetics (at progeny and individual levels) influence height growth, setting and fate of axillary buds on the one hand and fate of epicormic buds inserted directly on the stem, or at branch bases on the other hand.

     

Modelling diurnal and seasonal patterns of maize pollen emission in relation to meteorological factors

Modelling the risk of cross-pollination between maize crops can help to define efficient isolation methods to reduce the risk of gene flow between these crops. However, the use of such models over the pollen emission season is limited by poor estimations of pollen emission. In this study, we present a model that predicts hourly pollen emission fluxes over the pollen season and that accounts for effects of both meteorological conditions and crop variety. It consists of two sub-models that predict: (i) the seasonal pattern on a daily basis and (ii) the normalized diurnal pattern on an hourly basis.To assess the variability of pollen emission, ten field experiments were carried out in July and August over four years using three crop varieties. The model was built from (i) a parameterisation of the measured diurnal and seasonal patterns of pollen emission followed by (ii) a quantification of the relationships between parameter values and meteorological conditions. Total production of pollen was fairly constant for a given variety over years and sowing dates, while patterns of emission varied with meteorological conditions. The pollen emission season was longer when temperature was low and humidity was high. In most cases, the diurnal pattern was unimodal: the onset and the peak of emission were delayed when relative humidity was high or wind speed was low. In some cases, a second peak of emission occurred during the afternoon. This was observed more frequently when temperatures were high.     

Variation in wood volatile compounds in a mixed oak stand: strong species and spatial differentiation in whisky-lactone content

The effect of species and ecological conditions on oak volatile extractive content was investigated in an evenaged (100 years) stand located in western France. The sample included a total of 286 trees (118 sessile, 158 pedunculate and 10 oaks with an intermediate morphology) growing in contrasted environments (plateau, intermediate slope, small valley). The main factor influencing oak extractives level is species. The effect of the local environment appears negligible. No correlation between ring width and volatile extractive content was found. Q. petraea is significantly richer than Q. robur in eugenol and whisky-lactone (10.8 vs. 0.6 μg/g). However, two groups of sessile oaks could be identified, one poor and one rich in whisky-lactone. Among the latter, either the cis or the trans stereoisomer was predominant, suggesting that their production is not independent. A strong spatial structure was detected for whisky-lactone (cis-, trans- and total whisky-lactone, for the two species combined but also for Q. petraea alone in the case of the cis isomer).     

CLINICAL VALUE OF FRUCTOSAMINE MEASUREMENTS AND FRUCTOSAMINE-ALBUMIN RATIO IN HYPOGLYCEMIC FERRETS (MUSTELA PUTORIUS FURO)

The objective of this preliminary study was to establish a reference range for plasma fructosamine concentration and fructosamine-albumin ratio in healthy ferrets and to compare these reference intervals to values obtained from hypoglycemic ferrets. Fructosamine concentration has been shown to reflect blood glucose concentration over the previous 1 to 2 weeks in other animal species, and may be a useful indicator of chronic hypoglycemia in ferrets diagnosed with insulinoma. Plasma fructosamine was measured with an automated colorimetric assay using nitroblue tetrazolium. Thirty-two clinically healthy and 5 hypoglycemic ferrets were included in the study. The reference interval in healthy ferrets for fructosamine was 110 (98 to 123) – 203 (191 to 218) μmol/L, and the reference interval for plasma fructosamine-albumin ratio was 5.1 (4.6 to 5.6) – 8.6 (8.2 to 9.0) μmol/g. Results for hypoglycemic ferrets were within the ranges for both fructosamine and fructosamine-albumin ratio. As there were no significant differences between the healthy and hypoglycemic ferrets, this study suggests that fructosamine concentration and fructosamine-albumin ratio are not likely to be useful in determining insulinoma-associated chronic hypoglycemia in ferrets.